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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Virtual Post-It-Boards-Snap, Crackle, "Popplet"

Just when you think it can't get any better it does. Still in Beta form this web and iPad app, Popplet, can be used by submitting a request for an invitation. You will receive an access code by email which enables you to register using your first and last name, your email address, that becomes your username, and a password. Users must be 18 years or older. The site proposes to be the best app for visual ideas; see what you think together. If you are into mind mapping and pictorial brainstorming than I can think of no better app to use at this time. This leaves the other boards in the dust combining text, drawings and images.

Once you have logged in and opened a board to create a popplet the steps (opportunities) are easy: double click to add a popple which can be resized by clicking and dragging or moved by dragging it; type text in the popple; change a popple's color; set a popple's text by selecting one of 3 sizes; draw in a popple; or add an image from Flickr, Facebook, YouTube or your computer.

In addition to these options on the popple itself at the top of the Popplet board there is a zoom tool, the option of changing the background color, adding a new popple, editing that popple, adding content from Flickr, Facebook, Amazon, YouTube and Goggle Maps as well as changing the view of the popplet, exporting it in pdf or jpeg format, a labs option which needs futher exploring by yours truly and it can be printed.

Once created your popplet can be shared by posting it on Facebook or Twitter, emailed, via a link or embedded in a blog or website.http://popplet.com/app/#/12808 (My simple beginning popplet)
Collaborators can be added to any popple by adding their name or email address.
Another neat feature is a bookmarklet can be added to your browser's bookmark board where you can clip images and text from other web sites to add to a popplet of your choice.

Check out this video created by the Popplet people that gives you a quick overview.

2 comments:

What is your opinion on 1st graders using technologies like this? My daughter is using Edmodo and Twiducate to "blog". She mainly just answers questions or watches videos. It takes forever for her to type. Now she is expected to use Popplet as well. I'm concerned.

Adam:When I reviewed Popplet for this posting part of the terms of service is that all users must be 18 years of age or older. Perhaps the instructor in your daughter's classroom might try similiar apps like Wallwisher, Stixy or the very simple Corkboard Me to accomplish their goals.

I did find what I consider to be several good reviews for Edmodo. I used a search engine located at http://www.infotopia.info. One of the reviews is in School Library Journal and the other at PBS. I found many good videos on TeacherTube that explain Twiducate using Infotopia. Intotopia is a search engine created by educators.

I am not sure why the teacher is using both Edmodo and Twiducate as both are social networks for educators. It seems in my humble opinion that one would be enough for first graders but perhaps the teacher is using them to accomplish two separate assignments. I will need to create accounts and explore them further.

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I began teaching as a school librarian in 1973. It has been the single best decision that I have ever made. Every morning during the school year I can hardly wait to see my students to explore what we can discover together.